Boris Bally

© Boris Bally

What a witty trash transformer! Boris Bally is a metalsmith and sculptor who works in Providence, Rhode Island, designing pieces of furniture like this one, using roadsigns and other found materials. Which goes to prove that if you have talent, you can make just about anything with just about anything!!!

http://www.borisbally.com

Skyrill

© Skyrill

This alphabet by Skyrill is part of a complete set which was originally a type fluid experiment! Skyrill is the fusion of two brothers from the tiny kingdom of Bahrain, who share their love for software development, graphic design, photography and the arts. I really don't know what to add other than: "Wow!" how impressive!

http://skyrill.com

http://www.skyrill.com/blog

Erin Jang

© Erin Jang

Erin Jang is a designer and illustrator originally from Seattle and now living in New York City. She has worked as a senior art director at Martha Stewart Living magazine. Please go see her work. It is so elegant, so well crafted; check out the short videos too. Notice the format of this one, simple but original, especially made for the iPad.Truly wonderful!

http://work.theindigobunting.com

http://theindigobunting.blogspot.com

Mark MacKay

Check out these wonderful typography games by interaction designer Mark MacKay:

The first one is a kerning or letterspacing game, and the second a letter shaping game; both are great practice for all typography beginners.

http://type.method.ac

http://shape.method.ac

Washington DC

© Nelly Charbonneaux

Washington DC is always a treat around the end of october. The huge trees turn to all shades of bright reds and yellows and more. I could spend hours admiring what I consider to be a real symphony of colors; and actually that's exactly what I did!

Judith Klausner

© Judith Klausner

Next time you eat an Oreo cookie, think of these Victorian-era oreo cameos that are part of a food art series by Judith Klausner! You might want to read her statement "from scratch" while you are at it. Some people have an incredible knack of making things with just about anything! What an ingeneous way of using oreo cookies!

http://jgklausner.com/series/from-scratch

Tom White

© Tom White

Tom White, owner of 9 Surf Studios, is a classically trained designer, typographer and illustrator completly immersed in modern technology. His work, both classic and modern is wonderfully well crafted; simply "stunning"! He says that "creative excellence and good business sense are mutually beneficial." He also adds that "when working with his clients, function is just as important as form." Well I couldn't agree more with both statements.

http://www.9surf.com

http://9surfstudios.blogspot.com

Steve Jobs (3)

Here is a quote by Steve Jobs. Remember that when you are talking about design, it isn't whether you like it or not that is important, but whether it works or not. Of course it isn't always easy to be objective but that is what we strive for as designers.

One other thing: big news! The much anticipated and authorized biography by Walter Isaacson which was originally set for march 12, 2012, then for november 21 is now due to come out on october 24. Preorders on amazon are not surprisingly skyrocketing and the title has already topped best seller lists.

Steve Jobs (2)

On wednesday october 5th, we were all stunned to hear that Steve Jobs had taken his last one way ticket to heaven.There's a funny but depressing (political) joke that goes like this: "Before we had Steve Jobs, Bob Hope and Johnny Cash. Now we have no Jobs, no Hope and no Cash."
On the brighter side I would recommend that you google Steve Jobs' commencement address at Stanford University in 2005. It will only take 15 minutes of your time and well worth every minute, it is so positive and refreshing. Goodbye mr Jobs, and thank you again for everything.

Jiri Sliva

© Jiri Sliva

Years ago I discovered Jiri Kilar's work at some friends' house in D.C., who had been stationed in Czechoslovakia for a few years. Ever since I've been quite fascinated by Czech art and performing arts like the Black Light Theater in Prague. Did you know that the famous Alfons Mucha was Czech? A few months ago, I discovered the illustrator Adolf Born's work and more recently Jiri Sliva's. His work is poetic, whimsical and so wonderfully charming. I'm simply spellbound! How about you?

http://www.gallery.cz/gallery/en/index.html

Emigre

Hopefully you have all heard of the digital type foundry "Emigre"? There was also, from 1984 to 2005 the magazine "Emigre" which was published twice a year. If you are aware of neither and you are curious, which I hope is the case, go find out for yourselves. I just wanted to mention that you can now download their PDF type catalogs. Just wanted to share the info!

http://www.emigre.com/EmigreCatalog.php

Isidro Ferrer

© Isidro Ferrer

I've been a long time fan of the spanish designer and illustrator Isidro Ferrer. It took me a while to select just a few samples of his work because everything is simply top notch! He has a wonderful and whimsical way of combining things. He plays with shape and scale in a very sophisticated childlike way. Also look at how creatively he uses type and composition leaving space uncluttered. My goodness; this guy's work is simply FANTASTIC!

http://www.isidroferrer.com

Mother nature

© Nelly Charbonneaux

Two days ago as I was taking my morning stroll along the river, I decided to pick one of each different wild something I could put my hands on and came home with a zillion different things, all so incredibly beautiful. Isn't it amazing how we walk past things, seeing but not really looking at them, taking everything for granted? Mother nature is definitly the best designer in the universe. A good friend of mine suggested I post this and added: "A picture is worth a thousand words!" I agree!!!

Rookie Magazine

© Tavi Gevinson

Remember Tavi Gevinson? In 2008, at the age of 12, the child prodigy became a world-wide celebrity with her pitch-perfect fashion blog "Style Rookie". Today, at the age of 15, at the head of a staff of 40, she is the editor-in-chief of the online "Rookie Magazine", geered towards teenage girls which was just launched last week-end. It has already attracted lots of media attention here in France, with articles in magazines such as "Elle" or "l'Express" or the daily newspaper "Le Monde" which talks about her as the Mozart of fashion. Wow is right! What an amazing young lady!

http://rookiemag.com

http://www.thestylerookie.com

The Cat Scan

© Hanna and Michelle

Obviously taking photographs and scanning are two different things, although both are "simple" techniques that allow you to record things."Simple", did I say "Simple"? I wonder how simple it is to put a cat in or on a scanner and have it stay put? Jon Hanford began his "cat scan" project a year ago, october 2010 to be precise. The idea is that if you have a cat and want to scan it, you can submit it. Poor critters!!! For visual communicators, it might not seem obvious what these furry things are, but isn't it interesting to see these felines under a new and different, sometimes, distorted perspective? Michelle's cat on the right is entitled:"Nell in her paws-tucked-under-napping position" !!! How about that? I'll be doggone!

http://thecatscan.tumblr.com

Typography Insight

© Typography Insight

Typography Insight is an iPad app that is an absolutely terrific learning tool. It'll help you understand the foms of classic fonts such as Garamond, Baskerville, Bodoni, Century and Helvetica... and much more! It was developed by Parsons design student Dong Yoon Park and I highly recommend it for anyone interested in Type.

http://typeinsight.org

Colour Lovers

© Nelly Charbonneaux

Colour Lovers is a creative community where people share patterns and colour palettes; there's a neat online app that allows you to design interesting patterns. I'm not very good with computers, so I'm not really sure how it works exactly! So, this is my very first not masterpiece but accidental piece which I called "Mashed Potatoes"!!! ... but I'm sure you can do better than that however! Try it; you'll like it!

http://www.colourlovers.com

Steve Jobs (1)

On thursday august 25, Steve Jobs officially resigned from his position as CEO (chief executive officer) at Apple. A true genius in marketing and design, he also symbolizes excellence regarding american innovation. All I can say is "Get well soon, mr. Jobs!" Here are a few links concerning our favourite Big Mac!!!

http://www.allaboutstevejobs.com

http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/4.02/jobs_pr.html

http://www.forbes.com/sites/stevedenning/2011/08/25/understanding-apple-five-myths-about-steve-jobs/"

If you have any interesting information you'd like to share, by all means leave a comment!

New Blog

Hello everyone! After holding a blog in french for the past three years on a daily basis for my students, I decided that "It was it!"... but since every now and then, I discover something I want to share, I decided otherwise! So once in a while only, (definitly not every day, ... too time consuming!), or if you prefer "once in a blue moon"*, I will do just that. This time though, it will be in english so that everyone can understand, and I will try to keep my messages short... but I'm such a blabber mouth, excuse me if I don't! Please visit the old blog too, every now and then, when you have a chance!

http://nelly-charbonneaux.blogspot.com

* For those of you learning english, this expression means "seldom, not often!!!"